For over a decade, the Maui Coastal Land Trust has been dedicated to preserving land on the islands for future generations to enjoy. Through donations from individuals as well as grants from government agencies, they have been able to purchase land or conservation easements, protect coastlines, cultural landscapes, and food-growing lands. The funds raised are used to restore taro fields and a Hawaiian fish pond in the 277-acre Waihee wetland and coastal dune refuge from the housing trust. The Public Lands Trust was established in 1972 and specializes in real estate conservation.
It applies its experience in negotiations, public finance, and legislation to protect lands so that people can enjoy them, such as parks, greenways, community gardens, urban play areas, and wilderness areas. The Climate-Ready Coasts initiative invests in high-impact projects that create climate solutions through carbon storage; increase resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution, and marine debris; restore coastal habitats that help wildlife and humans thrive; build the capacity of underserved communities and support community-driven restoration; and provide employment opportunities. Hawai'i Land Trust will work with the community to restore water flow to the taro fields and fish pond by building a ridge-to-reef model for collaborative land and ocean management. The trust was created in 2002 and initially focused its efforts on acquiring 227 acres of coastal dunes and wetlands that now make up the Waihe'e Dune Refuge.
This was acquired by the trust in 2004 with a combination of federal and county funds, in addition to individual contributions. Two decades ago, two environmental activists helped create the Maui Coastal Land Trust, which has since preserved thousands of coastal acres in their natural state. According to HILT, the funds (which are part of grants for coastal habitat restoration and resilience for underserved communities) represent the largest operating grant in history and will be used for the restoration of Kapoho Loko Ia and Loi Kalo in HILT's 277 acre Waihee coastal wetland and dune refuge in Maui. Other funding for the public purchase came from a combination of private donations, a federal allocation from the Coastal and Estuarine Lands Conservation Program secured by Senator Daniel Inouye and the late Congresswoman Patsy T.
The Maui Coastal Land Trust is an important organization that is dedicated to preserving land on the islands for future generations to enjoy. Through donations from individuals as well as grants from government agencies, they are able to purchase land or conservation easements, protect coastlines, cultural landscapes, food-growing lands, invest in high-impact projects that create climate solutions through carbon storage; increase resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution, and marine debris; restore coastal habitats that help wildlife and humans thrive; build the capacity of underserved communities; support community-driven restoration; and provide employment opportunities.
